with the infamous countess, by whom he had a son, whom he styled Earl of
Coventry, (his second title,) and who died an infant.

One lingers still over the social career of one whom Louis XIV. called
'the only English gentleman he had ever seen.' A capital retort was made
to Buckingham by the Princess of Orange, during an interview, when he
stopped at the Hague, between her and the Duke. He was trying
diplomatically to convince her of the affection of England for the
States. 'We do not,' he said, 'use Holland like a mistress, we love her
as a wife.' '_Vraiment je crois que vous nous aimez comme vous aimez la
vôtre_,' was the sharp and clever answer.

On the death of Charles II., in 1685, Buckingham retired to the small
remnant of his Yorkshire estates. His debts were now set down at the sum
of £140,000. They were liquidated by the sale of his estates. He took
kindly to a country life, to the surprise of his old comrade in
pleasure, Etherege. 'I have heard the news,' that wit cried, alluding to
this change, 'with no less astonishment than if I had been told that the
Pope had begun to wear a periwig and had turned beau in the
seventy-fourth year of his age!'

Father Petre and Father Fitzgerald were sent by James II. to convert the
duke to Popery. The following anecdote is told of their conference with
the dying sinner:--'We deny,' said the Jesuit Petre, 'that any one can
be saved out of our Church. Your grace allows that our people may be
saved.'--'No,' said the duke, 'I make no doubt you will all be damned to
a man!' 'Sir,' said the father, 'I cannot argue with a person so void of
all charity.'--'I did not expect, my reverend father,' said the duke,
'such a reproach from you, whose whole reasoning was founded on the very
same instance of want of charity to yourself.'